Germany, The Next Republic? eBook

The German Government was very courteous to us in
the matter and it was found that the Spanish ship
concerned was not so fitted up and that the contraband
was of a very ordinary sort, such as could be obtained
from various nations. The result was that the
vessel, after a brief visit, proceeded on her way,
and our agents at Hamburg informed me later that during
the entire war vessels freely carried ammunition from
German ports both to Spain and to the United States,
and that neither of the belligerents made any remonstrance.
Of course, I was aware that under the usages of nations
I had, strictly speaking, no right to demand seizure
of the contraband concerned, but it seemed my duty
at least to secure the above information regarding
it and the ship which carried it.